Drowning in its own shore, the San Pedro campsite in Artemisa is losing the battle against neglect

The San Pedro camping site, located in the Artemisa municipality of Bahía Honda, is facing progressive deterioration that threatens its existence, with only half of its cabins operational, abandoned infrastructure, and minimal services, while institutional inaction and vandalism accelerate its decline.

From around 70 cabins it had at its peak, barely half are in operation in 2025, lacking adequate conditions.

The aftermath of Hurricane Rafael (2024), along with vandalism, illegal occupation of empty homes, and lack of maintenance, transformed a place that once offered respectable vacations at affordable prices into a disfigured facility, acknowledged a report from the official newspaper El artemiseño.

The lights remain on the ground, the playgrounds are no longer there, and dining services are scarce or nonexistent, although the accounts from the director and the vacationers do not completely align.

"The camping staff is very pleasant, but they do not offer dining options or recreational activities. The playground is gone. We cook with electric equipment, but due to the constant power outages, we have to use alternatives," such as a wood-burning stove and some already broken pieces of charcoal, explained a vacationer who claimed he has been visiting the facility once a season for almost 20 years with his wife, daughters, and grandchildren.

In contrast, Juan Jesús Gamiotea Pozo, the director of San Pedro for two years, stated that "we have the resources to prepare lunches and dinners, but the campers do not request it; they cook for themselves," although the vacationers had a different version

The same situation occurs with the sale of the module which, according to the director, included toilet paper, liquor, and other goods, but has not yet been sold to them. "Something quite odd," noted the media outlet.

In fact, the few visitors who arrive must bring drinking water from home, as there is no regular supply or sufficient sales available at the facility.

The result is the same: institutional abandonment, poor management, and an administrative structure lacking the real capacity to recover what has been lost.

The lack of resources, personnel, and willingness contributes to a structural crisis. With only one old vehicle, barely 20 liters of diesel per month, and salaries below 3,000 pesos, the management acknowledges that they have no room to do more.

Meanwhile, some families affected by the hurricane took it upon themselves to occupy cabins from the former villa of the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), which is now under the management of the Accommodation Company, leading to looting and irregular appropriations.

Not even the efforts of some vacationers to uphold family traditions can hide the critical state of the place. The scene dangerously resembles the La Herradura campsite, which disappeared without a trace. If this inertia is not broken now, San Pedro could also become another erased spot on the popular tourist map.

In 2023, the seven campgrounds in Artemisa had a total of 310 cabins. By 2025, only 242 are available, which is 68 fewer (30 of these in San Pedro), stated Niurka Quintana Pérez, director of Popular Camping in the province.

In 2024, the official press highlighted the deterioration of the Campismo Popular facilities on the island, which were once sources of fun and recreation for Cuban families during the summer months or on weekends.

In this regard, the newspaper 26, from Las Tunas, stated that such facilities, which were a great source of enjoyment for Cuban families who could not access hotel offerings, “are a sad picture of glorious years reduced to dirt, decay, and, in some places, waste.”

The Popular Camping was an idea of the dictator Fidel Castro, presented as a recreational option for Cubans, although, in reality, it ended up distinguishing those who could visit hotels from those who could not.

Managed by the Young Communist Union (UJC), it promoted various options, including swimming at the beach or rivers, hiking, and camping.

Many Cubans nostalgically remember their stays in these places during the 1980s and 1990s, while others speak of them with resignation, due to the deteriorated conditions in some camping sites, the long lines that formed to buy food, or the difficulties with transportation.

At the beginning of 2023, when new rates for the camping bases in the province of Villa Clara were announced, Cubans recalled that this option was conceived to be accessible to everyday Cubans, particularly those with fewer resources.

Amid a growing energy crisis and under extreme economic conditions, the Cuban government launched its summer campaign 2025 under the slogan "Always Young," with a proposal aimed at keeping Cubans—especially children and youth—entertained without leaving their communities.

But the population faces limited real options to enjoy the school and work break. Access to camping sites, for example, depends on transportation to the facilities, and although the vice president of Campismo Popular assured that there are still offers available, an 85% occupancy rate and logistical difficulties have been reported.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Deterioration of San Pedro Campsite in Artemisa